Advice
by spockandawe
Summary: Korra wanted to speak to Avatar Aang, but the person she found waiting for her was someone she'd never expected. Possibly the start of longer things.


Meditation had never come easily to Korra. Whatever fancy words people used to describe it, it was just sitting and thinking, and why _sit_ to think when she could be doing literally anything else? The spiritual side of being the Avatar didn't seem worthwhile, even after years of being told it was more important than bending. That was nothing more than teacher after teacher telling her she wasn't good enough, she needed to change. Well, bending and fighting was what she was good at. Different Avatars had struggled with different things, and she could still do her job without enjoying the spiritual side of life.

She had gotten by like that for years. Even if she couldn't control air yet, there were still three perfectly good elements at her disposal. It didn't matter that she couldn't access the Avatar state because she was strong enough to solve her problems without it. The only thing that bothered her was her inability to speak to her past incarnations. Sifu Katara had told her about the different times Aang had gone to Avatar Roku for advice, and Korra often wished she could do the same. Especially here in Republic City, separated from everyone she had grown up with, she felt adrift and aimless. It would be wonderful to speak to Avatar Aang and ask him what she was supposed to _do_.

That was how she found herself here again, sitting on the floor and trying to focus on breathing. It was frustratingly easy to get distracted. How was it even _possible_ to think of nothing? She caught herself wondering if there was any more useless way to waste her time and tried to focus again. This time, Korra had done her best to set herself up for success. It was a warm day with the sun shining down on her back, she'd been sure to find a quiet corner of Air Temple Island where nobody would burst in on her, and she was sitting on a wonderfully soft pillow she'd brought up from her room. If it was possible to meditate, she'd manage it today.

The moment she slipped into a trance was almost like falling asleep. It took some time to realize things had changed. The first hint was when she realized she couldn't feel the heat on her back anymore. Then she realized that the pillow was gone, but it didn't seem like she was sitting on black rock. When she'd opened her eyes, everything was swirling blue mist that stretched away into the distance. The only other thing she could see was a person sitting cross-legged just in front of her.

"Avatar Aang-" she started to say before catching herself. This wasn't Aang. It was a woman with dark hair and sharp eyes whose lips curved into a smile as she watched. Not an Avatar she recognized, but she'd never been good at the histories. From her clothes, she was from the Fire Nation. Who had been their Avatar before Roku? She bowed forward. "I'm very sorry, but I don't know which Avatar you are."

The woman laughed. "Please. Don't tell me that you think the _only_ spirits out there are past Avatars. I'm afraid you've stumbled onto something more interesting than that."

Korra looked closer, trying to think. "You're... from the Fire Nation?"

"Very good. You really had to stretch for that one, didn't you? Come now, it isn't like I'm trying to hide anything."

"I don't know!"

She sighed. "A hint then. I knew the last Avatar. I've known him since he was younger than you, actually. This really shouldn't be so difficult, Korra."

It was the metal flame fixed in her hair that was the last piece of the puzzle. "You're Azula!"

"_Very_ good. You're a bright one, aren't you."

"Well, leave me alone. I'm here to talk to Avatar Aang."

"Hmm." She looked from side to side. "This is just a guess, mind, but it doesn't really look like he's here." Korra jumped to her feet, spun, and began walking into the distance. "Oh that is precious. Listen," Azula called, "We're in your own mind. You can't run away from me here. You could always break the trance, but we both know how hard it was for you to get here in the first place."

"I can _make_ you leave." Korra clenched her fists. Azula had been a famously good fighter, but she was the Avatar. She could take her.

"No, Korra, I'm afraid you are wrong _again_. This isn't the physical world." She spread her arms wide. "There's a remarkable lack of physical elements. You can't bend."

"Why are you even here?"

"You can't guess?"

"_No_, and that is why I'm asking you!"

Azula only laughed and got to her feet, slowly circling the other girl. Korra tried not to react, but found herself shifting and edging away whenever Azula brushed against her. "Let's say that I'm here because I want to be."

"That's not a real reason."

"It's real enough, Korra."

"I don't like it when you use my name."

"You used mine, didn't you? Anyways, you don't have any way to make me stop."

"I want a real answer!"

"Do you really think that someone like Aang is the right sort of spiritual guide for someone like you? I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories about the good old days. Would you ever be able to properly take advice from him? No. What you need is someone like me, Korra. We're not that different if you think about it."

"We are not! I'm a good person and you-"

"A 'good person?' Adorable, but you're too old to still be thinking like that."

"You fought _against_ Aang! You tried to take over the world!"

"Please. What I wanted was _power_. I had it too, but life only lasts for so long. There's less that I can do as a spirit, but I think that influencing the current Avatar would still be quite an achievement."

"If you're telling me this, there's no reason I should listen to you."

Azula laughed. "Don't be naive. Do you think I'm going to tell you to go wait for Sozin's comet and attack the Earth Kingdom? Just because you disagree with what I did when I was alive doesn't mean my counsel is useless now. I'm smarter than you are. I've seen and done things you can't possibly imagine. I have valuable advice that you can't afford to turn down, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be."

"I don't want your advice!"

She rolled her eyes. "As I was saying. 'The sooner you realize,' and all that."

Korra ground her teeth. How can I make you _go away?_"

Azula stopped in front of her and bent forward, looking right into Korra's eyes. She still had the same mocking smile as before. "That? It's simple, really."

There was a long pause as Azula smiled down at her. "Well?"

"All you have to do is really, truly _want_ me to be gone."

"That's it?"

"It is, but don't imagine you'll manage. If you didn't want me to be here, I never would have appeared in the first place. If you had ever really decided against me, I would have faded away in an instant. I am here because you _like_ it. You know that I can teach you better than Aang ever could, and that is what you _want_."

"No-"

Azula came in even closer, placing a hand on the back of Korra's neck. "We both know you don't mean that."

Korra dove back into herself, reaching for the waking world. As she came to herself, she felt lips ghost across hers and heard laughter fading into the distance.

"I'll be waiting for you right here, Korra."


End file.
